Rotatable book-rest or desk



Patented Oct. 4, |898.

F. KNUEDLER. RDTATABLE 800K BEST 0R DESK.

(L'ppleatio'n led Hay 15, 1897.)

(No Modal.)

770K? /nopler a Mm @Hbf/twg @wh/Loom' Tm; umms PETERS co. PHaToLmqo, wAswNomN. n c.

TINiTnn STATES ATENT Ormes.

FRED KNOEDLER, OFv ECONOMY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTATABLE BOOK-REST OR DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,916, dated October 4, 1898.

Application filed May 15, 1897. Serial No. 636,767. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern: Be it known that I, FRED KNOEDLER, o Economy, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvent'ed certain new and useful Improvements in Rotatable Book- Rests or Desks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-v tion of the invention,such as will enable others tear to which the book is subjected by being turned back and. forth upon the counter in registering `guests.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in a rotatable book rest or support in which the desk or revoluble table is returned to a normal position by a spring and moved against the action of the spring to face the guest, being held by a spring-catch.

The invention also consists in providing the rotatable desk with an adjustable inclined top and with drawers to receive small articles.

In the following specification I have entered into a detail description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to numerals thereon which designate the different parts, and what I consider to be the novel features of construction are specifically set forth in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speci-' fication, Figure 1 is a sectional View of a rotatable book-rest constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view with the base removed.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the fiat base, to which is rigidly secured an upwardly-proj ecting hollow standard 2, which forms a support for the rotata' ble desk or book-rest. The opening in the hollow standard is -reduced at its lower end to receive an enlarged end 3 of the spindle 4, the upper end of which is provided with a head 5, upon which the desk is secured, and adjoining this head the spindle has a bearing (5, that fits within the upper end of the standard. By this particular shape of the spindle an intermediate portion of the spring-wire,

being coiled about the spindle. In order to hold the desk against the action of the spring, the standard carries a spring-actuated rod 9, that engages an opening 10 in the under side of the head 5, the said rod being preferably located in avertical recess 1l in the stand ard passing through the base, where it is bent horizontally and then upwardly through an opening 12 in said base, where it terminates in a button or head 13. The spring` 14, which actuates the rod 9, is located within the recess of the standard and interposed between a collar 15 on the rod and a shoulder 1G in the standard, the tendency of the spring being to elevate the rod into engagement with the hole 10. The under side of the head 5 is provided with a recess 17, extending from a point near the hole l0 in the arc of acircle and terminating in a shoulder or stop 18, which limits the return of the table after it is released.

So much of my invention as hereinbefore described provides a very simple, cheap, and effective rotatable book-rest, in which the top can be given a half-turn and held in such position until it is desired to return the same, which operation is eifected bysimply depressing the rod,which releases the top, permitting the spring' to move it back until it is stopped by the head engaging the shoulder 18. This forms a rest which is especially adapted for use in hotels, where the book can be turned to face the guest and afterward brought back to its original position by simply operating the'catch.

In vconnection with this rotatable book-rest I have provided the movable desk or table with a top 19, that is hinged thereto at one end and is adapted to be adjusted to different inclinations. This adjustment is secured by providing the top with the arms 2O 20, hinged to the back thereof near the center and having projecting ngers 21, which engage a series of notches 22 in the frame of the IOO desk, the arms being preferably connected to each other by a cross-bar 23. The frame of the desk is cut out at the upper part, as shown, to receive the hinged support for the top, and thus allow the said top to be folded fiat upon the frame when desired. The lower part of the adjustable top is provided with a hinged strip 24, seated wit-hin a transverse :recess or opening therein, the strip being hinged adjoining the lower side of the openin g' in order that when it is folded back it will form a ledge to support the book to prevent its slipping oif of the top when the latter is placed at an inclination. By locating this hinge within a recess in the top it can be folded into the recess when the top is lowered, an extension of said recess being provided for convenience in manipulating the strip. The under side of the desk is preferably provided with grooved strips 25 and 26 to provide for supporting drawers 27 and 2S beneath the desk, the said drawers forming convenient receptacles forpens or other articles.

It will be understood, of course, that the book-rest or rotatable desk, with the adjustable top, herein shown and described, could also be effectively used as a school-desk or for any other purpose than as a support for hotel-registers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A book-rest comprising a suitable standard or support, atop rotatably mounted thereon, provided with a segmental recess therein which terminates in a shoulder, and a springactuated rod on said support adapted to fit within said recess and engage the shoulder at the end thereof for limiting the degree of rotation of said top. v

2. A book-rest comprising a support or standard, having an upwardly spring-pressed rod projecting beyond the upper end thereof, l

a top rotatably mounted on said support, and provided with an opening in its under side in line with said rod, and with a segmental recess leading from a point adjacent to said opening and terminating in a shoulder, the said rod adapted to fit within said opening for lookin g the top in one position, and adapted to move in said recess and engage the shoulder at the end thereof for limiting the degree of rotation of said top.

3. In a rotatable book-rest, the combination of a base having a hollow standard, a bookrest mounted upon the standard and provided with a spindle which fits therein, a spring supported by the standard and connected to the spindle to return the book rest to a normal position, and a catch for holding the rotatable book-rest against the action of the spring,

substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rotatable book-rest, the combination with al hollow standard, of a desk supported thereon and provided with a spindle fitted therein, and a spring supported by the standard and attached to the spindle, the said spindle having an enlarged portion with an opening in it; together with a spring actuated catch engaging the openin g in the spindle, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rotatable book-rest, the combination with a hollow standard having a socket therein the lower portion of which is reduced, of a desk or top having a spindle presenting a head with a recess and an opening in it and a bearing below the head, and a spring-wire wound about the spindle; together' with a springactuated rod terminating in an operatingknob, the other end of said rod engaging the recess and opening in the head of the spindle, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a rotatable book-rest, a desk supported upon a standard, a spring for returning the desk to a normal position, and a spring-catch holding the desk against the action of the spring; together with a top hinged to the desk and having supports hinged thereto, and means with which the supports engage to adjust the top at different inclinations, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

'7. In a rotatable book-rest, a desk supported upon a Standard, a spring for returning the desk to a normal position,and a spring-catch to hold the desk against the action of the spring; together with a top hinged at one end of the desk, arms hinged to the back of the top and having projecting fingers, and notches formed in the desk-frame with which the iingers of the arms engage, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

S. In a rotatable book-rest, the combination with a desk rotatably supported and provided with a spring for returning it to a normal position, and a catch for holding the desk against the action of the spring; together with a top hinged to the desk, means for supporting the top at different inclinations,and a strip hinged at the lower part of a recess in the top to form a supporting-ledge for the book, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED KNOEDLER. i-Vitnesses:I

S. VETTER, CHRIST. Boss.

IOO

IOS 

